Rise Broadband Rolls Out New Partner Programs, Adds TBI, MHO Vets as Channel Managers

**Editor’s Note: Click here to see which channel people were on the move in March or here for our most recent list of important channel-program changes you should know.**

Just days ahead of exhibiting at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo, Rise Broadband has launched new Alliance Channel Partner programs aimed at identifying, recruiting, motivating and compensating master agents, broadband resellers and aggregators.

The new programs from the fixed-wireless broadband services provider are designed to support partners of all types, and include a tiered commission plan, sales staff and support designed to “make it easy for partners to add Rise to their service provider portfolios,” the company said.

In addition, Rise has hired two wireless industry veterans as alliance channel managers. Taryn Cain, previously with TBI, and Jennie Hickinbotham, previously with MHO Networks, have joined Rise in Dallas and Denver, respectively.

Fred Barnes, Rise’s vice president of enterprise sales, tells Channel Partners the company has had a partner/channel program for the past few years but “it was not given the attention it deserved as the program was rather informal and was essentially the remnants of small local programs that many of the 100-plus local fixed wireless companies that now make up Rise had stood up over time.”

“After taking over as vice president of enterprise sales, I immediately moved this to the top of our priority list,” he said. “I am a firm believer in the channel and believe that we can best scale our enterprise sales by focusing our efforts on our partners, provide them with the tools and resources they need to be successful, and give them a new product that fills a gap in most agents/partners’ connectivity product portfolios.”{ad}

Rise’s high-capacity Ethernet, Internet and voice services over fixed wireless are available in 16 states and currently serve many areas that are underserved or not available from traditional service providers.

“There was a need to rationalize the many small partners and create a true focus on the enterprise product set with a focused program that will appeal to master agents,” Barnes said. “The new program has proper commitment tiers with associated commission levels and designated support, for example. In addition, the program will also cater to broadband resellers and aggregators that also require access to the unique Rise footprint. Rise is focusing on the channel by bringing in proper tools and marketing support from a newsletter, serviceability and order management perspective. Other areas of focus have been rules of engagement between channels, as well as pricing parity that ensure our partners are positioned to win.”

These new programs are vital to Rise’s overall channel strategy, he said.

“Due to the large footprint that Rise has within the United States, the only way to get proper distribution across the vast geography is through indirect channels,” Barnes said. “In addition, the expansion to resellers as compared to agents will also increase the distribution as many aggregators need access to the footprint in order to fill in around ILEC and cable solutions that are not available to support multi-location customers for primary or backup Internet service.”